Road maintenance and building machine



Get. 25, 19320 R. L, WARD 1,884,426

ROAD MAINTENANCE AND BUILDING MACHINE Filed July 28, 1931 IN V EN TOR.

A TTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 25, 1932 UNITED STATES RUFUS I. WARD, O1 IRVING, TEXAS BOLD MAINTENANCE AN D BUILDING MACHINE Application filed July as, 1881. Serial No. 558,505.

This invention relates to a road building, gradin and maintenance machine and particularfy to that type of machine commonly known as a scarifier for loosening the top 5 soil along road beds prior to applying a paving surface thereto. The principal ob ect of the invention is to provide in a machine of the character specified a combination of elements calculated to decrease the usual attendant bulkiness of the ordinary scarifying machine and consequently provides a machine capable of ease and readiness of adjustment and handling.

Another object of the invention is to pro- 18 vide easy and quick adjustment of the operating elements of the machine relative to the surface of the ground over which it is moved and thereby maintain uniformity in cutting the soil, as to the depth and angle of the 20 finished surface.

Still another object of the invention is manifest in the provision of a machine of the character described, capable of being transformed when desired, into a grading machine by removing scarifier elements from the frame and attaching thereto a conventional blade which latter may be arranged at any desired angle, so that the soil can either be directed to the center of the road bed or away from the center, as desired.

While the foregoing objects are paramount, the invention has reference to other and lesser objects which will become manifest as the description proceeds, taken in 5 connection with the appended drawing,

wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention showing the scarifying attachment and the various adjustments.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the invention showing the grading attachment.

Figure 3 is an elevational view of the ad justment for the cutting elements.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the horizontal adjustment of the cutting elements showing the threaded crank and the traveling block, and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary elevational view of the yoke in which the adjustment, shown in Figure 4 is mounted.

Use of scarifyin machines has been increased considerab y durin the last few years for road building but t e ordinary device for this purpose is usually bulky and heavy and requires considerable manual effort in operation and it is the purpose of this invention to reduce to a minimum, not only the amount of manual effort required in its operation but also the weight and therefore provide a light, inexpensive machine which can be easily transported from one place to another which may be drawn by a small tractor or truck.

As will be seen as the' description proceeds, the machine may also be transformed into a grader with little effort, therefore providing a machine having a dual purpose.

Proceeding with the description, 1 designates a main frame comprised preferably of two I-beams arranged in parallel relationship and converging toward the front of the machine where plates 2 are bolted thereon as shown in Figure 1. The plates 2 support the yoke 3 of the caster wheel 4 which latter supports the front end of the machine. I

Approximately midway of the frame 1 are situated the adjustments and supporting elements for the scarifier 5, which latter comprises beams 6, pivoted at a near the front of the frame 1, and extend rearwardly of the machine and having their free ends 7 turned downward and to which is attached a plate 8 carrying a series of teeth 9 which latter are a bolted or otherwise secured to the plate 8 as shown in Figure 1.

It is pointed out that while the teeth 9 ex-- tend beyond the edge of the plate 8, the latter is arranged at such an angle as to permit its contact with the soil in the wake of the teeth 9, thereby eliminating the usual ridges which result from the use of the ordinary scarifying machine.

The beams 6 are supported by the lower ends 10 of an arch 11 from the top of which extend cars 12 as shown in Figure 4. These ears 12 are arranged in parallel relationship and are slotted at b through which the pins 0 on either side of a traveling block are aro .receive the rod 16, as shown in Fi ranl ged. A crank 14 is provided, as shown in igure 4, and extends on either side of the block 13 through a rtures in a stationary yoke 15 asshownin iguresl 2and3andin which the arch 11 is mounted. By this arment it will be seen that when the crank bed 14 is rotated, the block 13 will travel along the threaded portion of the crank 14 carrying with it the ears 12 which are integral. parts of the arch 11 and thereby adjusts the latter so as to regulate the angle of the scarifying element relative to the und.

The yoke 15 is susgen ed b notches d on either si e thereo means of and which 5, and which extends transversely of the rame 1 and the ends of which are secured to levers 17 as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The yoke 15 is held securely ainst the rod 16 b a s ring 18 which exten from the top of e yo e 15 to the upper plate 2 at the front of the machine,asshownin Fi res1and2. Bythis arrangement the scarifying element 5 may be raised and lowered as desired by means of the levers 17 and their connection with the yoke 15 as above described and which will be described more fully resently.

Referring now to igure 2, it will be seen that the invention may be also used as a grading machine by removing the scarifying element 5, by detaching the latter from its pivot point at a and from the lower ends 10 of the arch 11 and substituting therefor, beams 19. which latter are pre erahly arranged a few inches higher than the beams 6 of e scarifying element, by pivoting them in the bearings 20 and attaching them to the lower ends 10 of the arch 11, inthe manner shown in Fi re 2. A substantially U-shaped member 21 is provided to carry the blade 22. The member 21 is secured to the beams 19 by means of U-bolt clamps 23 so that the blade 22 may be arranged at any desired angle relative to the frame 1.

In operating the invention as a scarifier, the cut element 5 is brought into contact with the soil and may be ad usted for depth by means of the levers 17 which latter 0 the quadrant24. The operation of t e levers 17 is made easier by reason of a spring 25 which is attached at one end to a bracket extending between and secured rigidly to the levers 17, the other end of the s ring be attached to the upper plate 2, at tge front an of the frame 1 as shown in Figures 1 and 2. As before mentioned, the yoke 15, by reason of its connection through the notches d and rod 16 to the levers 17, may be raised and lowered, thereby to affect the relationshi of the beams 6 to the ground surface upon w ich the scarifying element operates. This is also the case as to the grading attachment illustrated in Figure 2.

when it is desired that the cutting elements, either that -shown in Figure 1 or in Figure 2,

rate on bearrangedtocutthesoilatananglerelative to a horizontal plane, the elements may be arranged at such an angle by the operation of the crank 14 as gereviously described. For example, it may uired to cut the road so as to provide a 'gh center or a slo to either side and in such case it would necessarv to adjust the cutting elements accordingly.

A small platform not shown, may be rovided at the rear of the machine, upon w 'ch the operator stands while operating the machine and which will give him access to levers 17 and to the steering lever 27. The rear wheels of the machine are suitably mounted upon steering spindles so that they may be set to travel in a definite course without regard to the angle of the frame 1. This steermg arrangement makes it possible for the machine to be drawn straight alo the road by the draft pole 28 although the ame ma be at an angle relative to the course in whi the machine is traveling.

Manifestly, the construction shown is capable of considerable modification and such.

modification as is considered within the :1 and of the appended claims is onsidered within the spirit and intent of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a road building and maintenance machine, the combination comprising a rigid and substantially triangular frame havin a pair of rear wheels and a s' le front whee a pair of beams having pivot said frame, a blade transversely supported by said beams and having a multighcity of relatively parallel scari ing teet secured thereto, a yoke suspend in said frame for vertical movement, an arch mounted in saidyoke and arranged for lateral adjustment at its top and supporting said beams at its lower end, crank means for eifectin lateral adjustment of said arch to'ehan t e an le of said blade relative to the ro means for raising and lowering said yoke.

2. In a road building and maintenance machine, the combination comprising a wheeled frame, ayoke suspended for vertical movement in said frame, spring means havin op" erative connection with said oke an the forward end of said frame or ieldinfly p' the upper end of said yoke fhrwar ly, an are shaped member supported by said yoke and capable of lateral movement there- 1n, beams ivotally 'oined to the forward end of said me an extending rearwardl therebeneath and an ported y said arc shaped member, a bl e carried by said beams having a series of teeth thereon, means resisting the pulling action of said sprin means to raise and lower said yoke and cran means for effecting lateral ad ustment of said arch shaped member to change the angularity of said beams relative to the road.

connection with;

and in ependent;

3. In a machine of the character described, a wheel frame having means for steering the rearmost wheels thereof and provided with converging beams pivotally connected to said frame near its forward end, a blade transversely mounted on said beams and carrying a series of detachable teeth, a yoke disposed transversely in said frame and ca able of vertical movement, a laterally a justable arch secured in said ypke, whose lower ends are connected to said beams, means associated with the upper ends of said yoke and arch to effect lateral manipulation of the latter to change the angle of said beams relative to said frame, means to vertically actuate said yoke to adjust the height of said beams and means for locking said latter means in the various positions to which it is moved.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

RUFUS L. WARD. 

